For the past several years I have been humorously predicting a financial catastrophe when I retire, partly because we are way overdue for a correction and partly because continuing to work is the best option for preventing poverty in old age. Keep the paycheck coming.

Of course, since the world revolves around me, the DOW dropped 460 points on Monday, April 2, 2018, my first real day of I-don’t-have-to-get-up-for-work, 3,000 points in the past two and a half months. Fortunately, many of my retirement income sources; Social Security, Virginia Retirement System, and annuities, are stock market proof. My 401ks are not. Doesn’t matter, as I discussed in a previous post, I traded my paycheck for time. 

Hmm, I didn’t plan on Murphy’s Law.

“Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.”

Yesterday, I took the Azera in for a safety recall and state inspection. The recall was supposed to be on Hyundai’s dime and my time, 90 minutes and $16 (for the inspection). After an hour and a half, the service manager comes to me and says that both front CV joints are busted (seal broken and fluid leaking out). These are not repairable parts and the car fails inspection. Oh, and by the way, then the car needs alignment, tire rotation, and balancing. So $670 and six hours later I get my car back.

Murphy got both my time and my money.